Cloth-measuring machine.



PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904.

D. A. ALBRIGHT.

CLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Inventor Attorneys PATENTED NOV. 8.1904.

D. A. ALBRIGHT.

CLOTH MEASURING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Witnesses 6'4 6a 7 v I i I W Hfztomegs UNITED STATES I Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT GEEicE.

CLOTH-MEASURING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 774,634, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed 1E 11 1904- To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID A. ALBRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Afton, in the county of Preston and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Cloth- Measuring Machine, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to machines for measuring and invoicing cloth and textile fabrics generally and for cutting the same into desired lengths; and it has for its object to provide a machine of this class which shall be simple in construction, durable and efiicient in operation, as well as accurate and easily manipulated.

With these and other ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it being understood, however, that I do not limit myself to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but reserve the right tosuch changes, alterations, and modifications as come fairly within the scope of the invention and which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the utility of the same. In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cloth-measuring machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. i is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional detail view taken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the indicating mechanism and the frame carrying the same. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 7 in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is aperspective detail View of the cutting apparatus.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar numerals of reference.

The frame of my improved machine comprises a rectangular base 1, having laterallyeXtending bracket members 2 2, adjacent to which uprights 3 3 rise vertically from the Serial No. 199,413. (No model.)

ing over the reduced side piece 6. The side piece 6 supports an upright 11, in which is journaled a shaft 12, having at its outer end a crank 13 and carrying at its inner end a spring clamping device 14, consisting of an arched resilient plate 15, provided at the ends thereof with pairs of lugs or flanges 16, adapted to clamp the edge of a board of the kind upon which bolts of cloth are usually wound. The resilient plate 15 is normally bent or arched, so that its flanged extremities will be adapted to grip the edge of a board. The slide or head-block 9 likewise has an upright 17, carrying a flanged clamping-plate 18, having swivel connection with a screw-threaded stem 19, whereby it is connected with said upright. The head-block 9 is provided with an opening 20, through which extends a pivotally-mounted spring-actuated dog 21, engaging the ratchet-bar 7. It will be readily understood that by properly adjusting the headblock a bolt of cloth of any desired width may be adjusted between the clamping devices 14 and 18, the former being resilient, so as to admit of the board being sprung into place, while the latter may be adjusted by the screwthreaded shank, by means of which it is connected with the upright 17. The latter may obviously be supported at any desired distance from the stationary upright 1 1 by meansof the spring-actuated dog 21, engaging the ratchetbar 7.

The uprights 3 3 are connected at their upper ends by means of a cap-piece 22, (see Figs.

1 and 4,) and said uprights are provided at their lower ends with bearings for a shaft 23, carrying a measuring-roller 24, the circumference of which is of a predetermined lengthusually one yard. The shaft 23 is provided at one end with ahand-wheel or other suit- I prising side pieces 41, connected at their free able operating means. 5) designates a crank-shaft which is journaled in suitable bearings upon the rear sides of the uprights 3, said shaft being provided with two cranks 27, disposed in approximate alinement 26 (seen in Figs. 3 and ends by a yoke 42 (shown in detail in Fig. 6)

and which extends under the cap-beam 22. This yoke is suitably connected with one of the l vertically-movable plates 31, carrying the with said uprights and with an operating crank or handle 28. ably secured to one of the uprights, is arranged to bear upon one of the cranks 27 for the purpose of retaining the shaft 26 in adjusted position, as will be presently understood. A similar leaf-spring may be attached to the other upright to bear against the crank 27 at the opposite end; but this is not necessary. The cranks 27 are connected by links 30 with the lower edges of a pair of plates 31, disposed adjacent to the uprights 3 and having vertical slots 32, which admit of the passage of the shaft 23, the latter serving to guide and to steady the plates 31, which latter afford bearings for a shaft 33, carrying a pressureroller 3a. It will be seen that by manipulating the handle 28 the crank-shaft 26 may be rotated, so as to elevate the plates 31, in which the shaft 33 of the pressure-roller is journaled, thus admitting of the insertion between the measuring-roller and the pressure-roller of the free end of the piece of cloth to be measured, the pressure-roller or friction-roller being temporarily retained in a raised position by the spring 29 engaging the crank 27. After the end of the cloth has been inserted the handle 28 of the crank-shaft is operated in a reverse direction, thus lowering the plates carrying the friction-roller, causing the latter to engage the material, which will thus by the rotation of the measuringroller be fed or drawn between the rollers, the friction-roller being retained in contact with the measuringroller by the spring 29 engaging the crank 27, the position of which latter has been simply reversed. It is obvious that the spring .29 will yield sufficiently to permit fabric of va rious thicknesses to be operated upon by the rollers and that the parts will be so proportioned that even when very thin fabric is operated upon the friction-roller shall hold it against the measuring-roller with suflicient tenacity to cause it to be unfailingly fed or drawn between the rollers by the rotation of the measuring-roller.

The uprights 3 3 are provided with bearings near their upper ends for a shaft 35, (seen in Fig. 1,) carrying a worm or spiral 36. The shaft 35 is extended at one end of the frame and carries a sprocket-wheel 37, connected by a chain 38 with a similar sprocket-wheel 39 upon the end of the shaft carrying the measuring-roller. The sprocket-wheels 37 and 39 are preferably of equal size, so that by each rotation of a shaft 23 the shaft 35 shall be caused to make likewise a single rotation.

Pivotally connected with the cap-beam 22, near one end of the latter, is a frame &0, com- A leaf-spring 29, suitto the extent of one tooth.

shaft of the friction-roller, said plate being preferably extended upwardly, as shown, and provided with a slot 43, embracing the wormcarrying shaft. The front side of the pivoted frame 40 carries a dial 44, and it is provided with bearings for a shaft 45, concentric with and extending through said dial and carrying an index or pointer 46. The shaft carries a spur-wheel 47, which normally engages the worm 36, so that by each rotation of the wormcarrying shaft the spur-wheel will be rotated The dial 44 will be subdivided into a number of spaces equal to the number of teeth upon the spur-wheel, and the index carried by the shaft will thus travel across one space for each rotation of the worm'carrying shaft and the measuringroller. Thus, assuming that the periphery of the measuring-roller is one yard and that motion is transmitted to the worm-carrying shaft at the rate of one rotation for each rotation of the measuring-roller, each space traversed by the index or pointer 46 will indicate that one yard of material has passed between the measuring-roller and the friction-roller.

For the purpose of indicating fractional measurements the shaft 35 is provided adjacent to the worm 36 with a disk 36, (clearly shown in Fig. 1,) upon the rim or periphery of which suitable marks are made indicative of fractional measurements of a yard, said marks being designated 37. The shaft 35 derives its motion from the shaft of the measuring-roller, and it will make precisely one rotation to each yard of material passing over the measuring-roller. 38 designates the hand or pointer, which is suitably connected with the dial H or with any suitable relatively fixed point. hen this fractional indicator is used, it is obvious that it must be restored to zero at the beginning of the operation.

The dial will be preferably subdivided into sixty spaces indicative of sixty yards, which is the usual length of a bolt of cloth. At the zero-mark the dial is provided with a projection or stud 48, which will prevent backward movement of the index or pointer.

49 (seen in Figs. 3 and 6) designates a spiral spring, one end of which is suitably connected with the shaft L5 and the other end of which is securely attached to a fixed point independent of said shaft, the tension of said spring being exerted to rotate the shaft in a backward direction. It follows that by simply raising the free end of the frame 40 sufficiently to disengage the spur-wheel 47 from the worm 36 the shaft carrying the spur-wheel will-be rotated in a backward direction until the pointer or index reaches zero. Consequently whenever a certain quantity of cloth has been measured and the crank 28 of the shaft 26 is manipulated to release the friction-roller from contact with the measuring-roller the free end of the frame 40, being connected with one of the plates 31, carrying the measuring-roller, will be likewise elevated, the spur-wheel 17 will be disengaged from the worm 36, and the pointer or index 46 will be automatically restored to Zero. As soon as the friction-roller is lowered the spur-wheel 47 will again engage the worm, and by the rotation of the measuring-roller and the intermediate gearing the index or pointer will travel over the dial, as will be readily understood.

Suitably supported upon the lateral extensions 2 of the base-frameis a trough 50, open at both ends and the sides of which are provided with slots 51, forming guides for aslidable frame 52, having laterally-extending flanges 53, which engage the said grooves or guides. The sides of the frame 52 are provided with bearings for a shaft 54:, carrying a spur-wheel 55, (shown in detail in Fig. 9,) which engages a rack 56 in the bottom of the trough. The frame 52 is provided with a handle 57, pivotally connected therewith and by means of which it may be moved in the direction of the length of the trough, causing the spur-wheel and the shaft 54 to be rotated by the engagement of the spur-wheel with the rack 56. The rear side of the trough 50 has an upward extension 58, at the ends of which are mounted a pair of resilient yokes 59, the free ends of which carrya guide-strip 60. The rear end of the shaft 54 carries a circular knife or cutter 61, the edge of which extends slightly above the guide-strips 58 and 60.

62 (see Fig. l) designates a longitudinallyslotted pressure-bar or lever which is pivotally connected with one of the uprights 3 in direct alinement with the guide-strips 58 and 60, upon which it may be depressed againstthe tension of a spring 63, (see Fig. 9,) which serves to retain the said lever or pressurebar normally in a raised position.

It will be understood that the cloth or material passing between the measuring-roller and the friction roller will pass over the guide-strips 58 and and below the pressurebar 62, which latter, as stated, is normally sustained in a raised position. WV hen a certain quantity of cloth has been measured and it is desired to cut the same, the pressure-bar is lowered and held in contact with the guidestrips 58 60, while the operator with his other hand grasps the handle 57 of the knife-carrying frame 52 and pushes the latter longitudinally of the trough 50, thus causing the rotary cutter to sever the material clamped between the guide-strips and the pressure-bar. It is obvious that in this manner certain predetermined lengths of material may be very readily measured and cut ofl, it being unneccessary to remove the strip or length of cloth from between the measuring-roller and the friction-roller, it being only requisite to rotate the measuring-roller a suflicient number of times to cause the desired quantity of cloth to be fed between the rollers. It is not even necessary that the measuring-roller should be directly rotated, inasmuch as the material may be pulled forward between the rollers by an operator, who by watching the dial can observe precisely when the desired length of material has passed between the rollers.

When my improved machine is to be used for invoicing cloth, I avail myself of an auxiliary frame supported detachably between a pair of blocks 64, which support the trough 50, which rests upon the lateral extensions 2 of the main frame, said extensions being connected by a brace 65. This auxiliary frame includes a base 66, (best seen in Figs. 2 and 41,) having a stationary upright 67, in which is journaled a shaft 68, having an operatingcrank 69 and carrying at its inner end a resilient clamp 70, which in every respect resembles the resilient clamping member 1 1, which has already been described. The base 66 has a longitudinal recess 71, open at one end, and in the bottom of which is mounted a ratchet-bar 72. The sides of the recess 71 are provided with grooves 73, engaging flanges 74, extending laterally from a headblock 75, carrying an upright 76, which carries at its upper end a clamping member 77, connected therewith by a screw threaded shaft 78, with which said clamping member has swivel connection. Suitably connected with the upright 76 is a spring-actuated dog 79, which engages the ratchet-bar 72 to retain the head-block and its related parts in adjusted position. This mechanism, it will be observed, precisely resembles that upon which the bolt of cloth is to be mounted at the opposite side of the machine, and between the clamping members and 77 is placed a board upon which the cloth may be wound from the bolt supported by the clamping members 14 and 18 at the opposite sides of the machine. It will be seen that in order to measure cloth it is only necessary to adjust the end thereof between the rollers and pull it between said rollers until it can be partially wound upon the board carried by the clamping members 70 and 77 when by rapidly manipulating the crank 69 cloth passing between the rollers will be wound and the length thereof indicated upon the dial.

The lever or presser-bar 62 is preferably provided with downwardly-extending prongs 80, disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal slot in said presser-bar in order that the cloth operated upon by the rotary cutter may be held securely during the operation of said cutter.

The operation and advantages of this im- IIO proved machine Will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection With the drawings hereto annexed.

IVhen the machine is to be utilized simply for the purpose of cutting cloth into lengths or for measuring cloth and cutting the same, the auxiliary frame 66, With its related parts, may be conveniently detached, as will be readily understood. This form of attachment is not generally used, except for the purpose of invoicing goods when it is desirable to ascertain the precise amount of material remaining in pieces from Which portions have been cut. By the use of this improved machine this result may be speedily, efficiently, and accurately accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim" 1. A measuring-roller, movable plates having slots embracing and guided by the shaft of the measuring-roller, a friction-roller journaled in said plates, a shaft having cranks, links connecting said cranks With the movable plates, and spring means to retain the crankshaft in adjusted position.

2. A measuring-roller, movable plates having slots embracing the shaft of said measuring-roller, a friction-roller journaled in said plates, a shaft havingcranks, links connecting said cranks With the movable plates, and a spring exerting tension against one of the cranks of said shaft.

3. Ameasuring-roller, atension-roller,mov able plates supporting the latter, means for ad justing said plates, a Worm-carrying shaft, means for transmitting motion to the latter from the measuring-roller, a hingedly-mounted frame connected at its free end With one of the adjustable plates carrying the frictionroller, and an indicator carried by said hinged frame, said indicator including a spur-Wheel normally meshing With the Worm-gear.

A. A measuring-roller, a friction-roller, ad-

justable plates carrying the latter, means for adjusting said plates, spring means constantly engaging the adjusting means to retain the friction-roller in either operative or inoperative position, a Worm-carrying shaft, means for transmitting motion to the latter from the measuring-roller, a hingedly-mounted frame connected at its free end With one of the plates carrying the friction-roller, and an indicator carried by said frame, said indicator includingaspur-Wheel normally engaging the Worm.

5. A measuring-roller, a friction-roller adjustably supported with relation to said measuring-roller, an indicator, a movable frame carrying said indicator, actuating means for the indicator including a worm-carrying shaft and means for transmitting motion to said shaft direct from the shaft of the measuringroller, and connecting means between the indicator-carrying frame and the friction-roller. 6. A revolubly-supported arched, resilient board-clamp the edges of Which are provided at the ends thereof with upstanding flanges.

7. The combination With cloth-measuring mechanism,of board-clamping mechanism, the latter including a stationary upright, an adjustable upright, means for retaining the latter in adjusted position, an arched resilient board-clamp connected revolubly with one of said uprights, the edges of said clamp being provided at the ends thereof with upstanding flanges, a flanged board-clamp connected revolubly With a screw-threaded stem engaging the other upright, and a crank connected operatively With one of said clamps.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID A. ALBRIGHI Witnesses JAooB O. WVoLFn, MARY J. WVoLFE. 

